Worktable for metal perforating machines



Jan.25, 1944. 1 a P. moms 2,340,236

WORKTABLE FOR PERFORATING MACHINES Filed July 29, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR W .;{VE-SJEJ. BY Q a z 2 km o I: hrraews Yo.

Jail.- 25, 1944. THOMAS 2,340,236

WORKTABLE FOR METAL PERFORA'I'ING MACHINES Filed July 29, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 -IT L. J u llllllllhlllllllllllllllll q WITNESSES.

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Jan. '25, 1944. G. P. THOMAS 2,340,236

WORKTABLE FOR METAL PERFORATING MACHINES Filed-July 29, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 WI TNESJEJ Patented Jan. 25, 1944 OFFICE I WORKTABLE FOR METAL PERFORATING MACHINES George Paul Thomas, Glenshaw, Pa.

Application July 29, 1943, Serial No. 496,541

Claims. (Cl. 164-117) The invention relates to work tables for supporting plates of steel and the like for moving them universally in a horizontal plane with relation to a machine for punching or otherwise perforating them, and has particularly to do with plate supporting tables of the general type disclosed in my United States patents, Nos.

1,570,928 and 1,650,748.

The object of the invention is so to improve the construction of plate supporting tables of the type stated that they may be moved freely under the variable conditions of service normally encountered, and that they may occupy a minimum of floor space.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings of which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a work supporting table; Figs. 2 and 3 front and end elevations, respectively, of the table; Figs. 4 and 5 sectional views to enlarged scale of drive connections, the planes of view being taken respectively on lines IV-IV and VV of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 a sectional view taken on the line VIVI, Fig. 3; and Figs. '7 and 8 central sectional views showing other forms of frame-supporting wheels.

The table provided according to this invention includes a frame WhlCh is preferably U- shaped in plan, being formed of two parts I and 2 having their adjacent ends spaced from each other to straddle a perforating machine 3, here shown as a machine for punching holes in plates supported on the table. Each frame may be formed of lower transverse channels 4, longitudinal I-beams 5 which rest upon channels 4, and upper transverse I-beams 6. The top of each part of the frame is equipped with idle rollers 1 for supporting a plate 8 to be punched, and at the front sides of the table the frame parts I and 2 may be connected to each other by channels 9 and I!) which are attached to the tops of transverse beams 6.

In a manner presently to be explained, the table is supported by a plurality of parallel tracks I0, II, l2 and I3, tracks III and II being on the left and tracks l2 and I3 on the right side of perforating machine 3, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2. As shown, instead of being supported by posts extending upwardly above the level of a shop floor l5, these tracks rest directly upon sleepers I6 laid in the shop floor. Thus when the machine 3 is not in use the work-table may be moved to its position closest to the machine so that its frame parts I and 2 will then lie on opposite sides of the machine and the floor space in front of the machine be clear for storage and other use. As shown particularly in Fig. 6, each track may be formed of a pair of angles I'I whose horizontal flanges are attached to sleepers I6 and whose vertical flanges support a rack l8. As shown in Fig. 1, the racks preferably extend rearwardly only to the front end of machine 3, the remaining rear portions of the tracks being separated by spacers I9.

Positioned near each of the four corners of frame parts I and 2 there is a wheel which rests upon the track below it. The front wheels 20, 2!, and 22 may, as shown in Fig. 6, each be formed of a gear 23 whose peripheral teeth mesh with a rack I8, thegear being attached to an axle 24 whose outer ends are supported by bearings formed in the lower ends of the brackets 25 attached to channels 4. Bolted or otherwise attached to the sides of gear 23 there are disk-like wheels 26 having inner flanges that bear on the hub of gear 23 and having outer flanges which rest upon the tops of the vertical legs of the track-forming channel H. In track II the wheel-supporting tops of the track angles are beveled as shown in Fig. 2, and the peripheral flanges of wheel disks 26 are similarly beveled so that wheel 21 continuously engages opposite sides of the track and accordingly is held in fixed alignment therewith, that is to say against any lateral movement upon the track. In the remaining front wheels 20, 2| and 22 the tops of track-forming angles I! are flat and the peripheries of wheel disks 26 are cylindrical so that these wheels are free to move laterally upon the tracks in accordance with thermal variations in the length of the table on each side of track II. Thus the wheels on track I align the plate supporting table and the other wheels are supported in such a way that no binding takes place due to variations in the length of the table.

As shown in Fig. 7, rear wheel 21a. which rides upon the rear portion of track I I may be formed of an integral casting, its periphery being provided with beveled flanges 28 toengage the opposite beveled sides of the track; and as shown in Fig. 8, rear wheels 213a,, Zia and 22a which ride upon the rear portions of tracks I0, I2 and I3, respectively, may likewise each be formed of an integral casting whose periphery is cylindrical to rest upon the fiat tops of the tracks.

Each front wheel 20, 2|, 22 and 21 is driven by a pinion 30 (Fig, 6) mounted on a shaft 3| which is rotatably borne by the upper ends of brackets 25; As shown in Fig. 2, shaft 3| is referably formed of a central section 32 which is positioned between track's 'II and I2, and end sections 33 which are connected to the central section by universal joints. By thus forming a flexible drive shaft any vertical displacement of any of the tracks out of the horizontal plane in which they are intended to lie will not throw the drive shaft out of alignment and cause it to bind in the bearings in which it is rotatably supported.

Drive shaft 3| may be rotated by a hand wheel 35 attached to one end of a shaft 36 (Fig. 5) whose other end is provided with a beveled pinion 31 that meshes with a beveled pinion 33 attached to the upper end of a short vertical shaft 39. The lower end of shaft 39 is provided with a beveled pinion 40 which meshes with a beveled gear '4!" attached to the central section- 32 of the drive shaft. Hand wheel 35 is positioned at the front of the table above an operators platform 42 which is attached to and movable with the table; Byrdtating the hand wheel in one direction or'the' other the entire table may be moved as desired toward and from perforating machine 3 to positiona plate 8 with relation to perforating tools thatare suitably actuated by the machine.

The mechanism for engaging and moving a plate may be like that disclosed in my abovementioned patents. It comprises a channel 43 having; downwardly extending flanges whose lower edges are supported by idle rolls 46 borne by frame channel lfl. The back of the web of channel 43 is provided with a plurality of clamp 44 adapted to engage the front edge of a plate 8, and Within the channel about midway between its flanges there is attached a rack 4! which meshes with a pinion 48 attachedtoa drive shaft 49 adapted to be-rotated by a hand wheel 50 positioned above the operators platform 42. By rotating hand wheel 50 in one direction or the other, channel 45 may be moved longitudinally of the table to move plate 8 upon idle'roller l. By'manipulating this and hand wheel 35, plate 8 may be moved universally in a horizontal plane with relation to per forating machine 3 accurately to position the plate for punching or otherwise perforating it by the tool or tools of the machine.

In Figs. 1 and 3 carriage i, 2 is shown in its farthermost position from perforating machine 3. In such position'the edges of wide plates may overhang the rear side of the carriage for perforating one of their edges, and be turned for perforating the other edges.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle and operation of my invention, and have illustrated and described what I'now consider to be its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A table for supporting plates and for moving them universally in a horizontal plane With relation to a perforating machine, comprising a plurality of parallel floor-level tracks provided with racks, a frame having its top equipped with plate-supporting rollers and provided with depending track wheels having peripheral teeth engaging said racks. the wheels that rest on one of said tracks being provided with flanges that continuously engage opposite vertically-disposed sides of such track, and the Wheels that rest on all of the other tracks being free to move laterally thereon, and means for simultaneously driving at least one of said wheels that engages each of said k 2. A table for supporting plates and for moving them universally in a horizontal plane with relation to a perforating machine, comprising a plurality of parallel floor-level tracks provided with racks, a frame having its top equipped with plate-supporting rollers and provided with depending track wheels having peripheral teeth engaging said racks, the wheels that rest on one of said tracks being provided with flanges that continuously engage opposite vertically-disposed sides-of-suoh track, andlthe wheels that rest on all of the other tracks beingfree to'move laterally thereon, a drive shaft borne by said frame and extending to a position above all of said tracks, and driving connections between said shaft and at least one of said wheels that engages each of said tracks.

3. A table for supporting plates and for moving them-universally in a horizontal plane with relatrack, and the wheels that rest on all of the other tracks being free to move laterally thereon, a drive shaft borne by said frame and extend ing to a position above allof said tracks, and driving. connections between said shaft and one of said wheels that engages each of said tracks, said shaft being formed of sections connected to each other by universal joints at their adjacent ends.

4. A table for supporting plates and for moving them universally in a'horizontal plane with relation to a perforating machine, comprising four parallel floor-level tracks each provided with a rack, a two-part U-shaped frame having adjacent ends of its parts spaced from each other to straddle a perforating machine and having its top equipped with plate-supporting rollers, each of said frame parts being provided at each of its corners with a depending track wheel having gear teeth engaging one of said racks, a flexible drive shaft having a central section borne by the adjacent portions of said frame and having end sections extending to positions above the outermost of said tracks, and driving connections between said shaft and one of said wheels that engages each of said tracks.

5. A table for supporting plates and for moving them universally in a horizontal plane with relation to a perforating machine, comprising four parallel floor-level tracks each provided with a rack,a two-part U-shaped frame having adja cent ends of its parts spaced from eachother to straddle a perforating machine and having its top equipped with plate-supporting rollers, each of said frame parts beingprovided at each of its corners with a depending track wheel having gear teeth engagingone of said racks, a flexibl drive shaft having a central section borne by the adjacent portions of said frame and having end sections connected by universal joints to said central section and extending to positions above the outermost of said tracks, driving connections between said shaft and one of said wheels that -engages each of said tracks, and means borne by said frame for engaging a plate and moving it in horizontal direction at right angles to the move-- ment of the frame on said tracks.

GEORGE PAUL THOMAS. 

